Hard hitting ad campaign warns teenagers of cocaine dangers
Thursday, December 4th, 2008Teenagers are being targeted with shock warnings about the dangers of cocaine through a £1million television and internet campaign launched by the government.
The adverts feature a fictional dog named Pablo, who is used by dealers as a ‘drug mule’ to carry cocaine into the country. In the surreal commercials Pablo, who is given the voice of Peep Show’s David Mitchell, appears in various scenes including one where partygoers prepare to take cocaine and another where a girl has a heart attack from using the drug.
The campaign is part of the government’s ‘Frank’ drugs awareness push, and aims to highlight the dangers of the drug, ranging from heart failure and personality changes to sparking gang warfare, and is aimed at teenagers as young as 15. It comes after Britons were found to have the highest number of cocaine abusers in the EU, with 5% of 16-24 year olds taking the drug.
“Many young people wrongly associate cocaine with celebrities and success, so it is really important that this new Frank campaign gives a more balanced view,” said the minister for children and young people, Delyth Morgan.
“This campaign will help make young people aware of the risks and harms of cocaine use by unravelling the false truths of the drug.”
The first television advert will be launched on Channel 4 tonight.
December 5th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
I like the Frank campaign generally but this advert is just plain weird!
I can see what they were going for but I don’t know, it feels rushed, like they wanted to fit everything into the ad but without having to pay for a bigger slot on the TV, and a bit patronising to me.
January 8th, 2009 at 9:28 am
THIS IS YOUR BRAIN… THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS!
I agree, totally patronising. This is the ‘Cocaine Fiends’ of the 21st Century.